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Bank Holiday ‘Destroy It Yourself’ Disasters

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Six in ten Brits will reach for the tools this weekend

WITH A Bank Holiday on the horizon, DIY stores are bracing themselves this week for a last-minute rush on barbeque charcoal and accoutrements – providing the weather plays ball, of course – or alternatively, a trolley-dash by those who are planning on spending time on home improvements.

In fact, research released this week from mortgage lender Nationwide reveals that potentially as many as six in ten Brits will reach for the tools this weekend. However, as a consequence, over a fifth will subsequently need to contact a professional tradesperson to rectify or repair a ‘bodged’ job.

The UK wide poll, commissioned by Nationwide, suggests that customers made a million transactions across the big four home improvement stores on the May Day Bank Holiday last year, which remains one of the most popular times to carry out home improvements.

The average consumer spend this time last year across debt and credit cards was £40.29 per transaction, with a 76 per cent increase in DIY related transactions than a normal Monday in May.

Whilst it’s great to approach tasks around the home with a ‘have a go’ attitude, however, the reality of ‘do it yourself’ can quite often equate to more of a ‘destroy it yourself’ outcome.

That’s because, as the Nationwide survey highlights, one in five of those surveyed admitted that they had resort to professional help in order to rectify a bungled job, with the average cost of a repair being £166.76.

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Of those who were honest enough to admit their Bank Holiday home improvement blunders, 34 per cent experienced electricity problems as a result of the work they attempted, 28 per cent caused plaster to fall off a wall and 26 per cent blew a fuse or broke an appliance.

And perhaps with little wonder. The survey also found that a quarter of those polled admitted to using whatever they could find lying around, rather than purchasing the correct tools and materials for the specific project that they started.

A further fifth of people confessed to not budgeting correctly for the job, meaning multiple trips to the shops because they forgot something.

Carl Burke, Nationwide’s Head of Product Management commented: “DIY is as much a part of a May Bank Holiday as going to the seaside or getting stuck in traffic.

As a nation we spend millions of pounds on tools and materials across Britain’s home improvement stores and online, with our data showing the average transaction as slightly over £40.

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But as our research shows, the actual costs could be much higher, particularly as we often misjudge routine jobs around the house.”

For those who have created a DIY disaster, it may be possible to claim on your home insurance in order to put everything right, but this will depend on your policy, as Dan Simson, head of Direct Line home insurance explained: “Householders who are planning home renovation projects either this May Day Bank Holiday – or at any time - should let their insurer know about any changes being made to their property.”

“Any work that involves walls being knocked down, floors being taken up or electrics changed can result in damage to the property, so it’s important to ensure you consult an expert before you start and have accidental damage cover on your buildings and contents insurance in case anything goes wrong.”

Dan continues, “However, if homeowners do find themselves in the unfortunate situation where a project has not gone to plan and then decide to make a claim, they should call their insurer as soon after the damage as possible to prevent the situation from worsening. It’s much better to be honest and provide all the details.

“To assist with their claim, ideally they should also take a photograph of the damage to allow their insurer to fully assess the damage without a home call-out."

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A fifth of people confessed to not budgeting correctly for the job

Of course, whilst you may be covered on your home insurance policy, do bear in mind that if you do make a claim to cover the costs of rectifying damage, you are likely to have to pay an excess and your renewal premium may increase too.

But it’s not just home insurers who find themselves busy mopping up the mess after a Bank Holiday weekend.

Gavin Dutton, Managing Director of Checkatrade added: “We observed a discernible spike in website traffic last May, which we would suggest is potentially because of consumers seeking professional help after starting Bank Holiday DIY jobs that they are unable to finish or didn’t quite go to plan.

“Of course, prevention is better and sometimes cheaper than cure, so it’s worth getting a quote from a professional before you think about tackling a job yourself, in which case, it’s best to use trades that are recommended to you personally or have highly rated reviews.”

However, there’s more to consider than the potential cost of damage to your property if you’re undertaking a job yourself. Depending on what you’ve got planned, if you’ve got a mortgage you may need to inform your lender about your project.

Brian Murphy, Head of Lending at Mortgage Advice Bureau cautioned: “If you’re redecorating or putting up some shelves this weekend, that’s fine. But if you’re planning on starting a more substantial project, such as converting your garage into living space or adding a conservatory, then it’s best to let your lender know in advance.

“That’s because it’s a condition of most mortgages that you need to inform your lender if you make any major changes to your property which may alter its value. It goes without saying that you’ll need to also make sure that any major works are covered under Permitted Development Rights or if you need to apply for planning permission first.”

Brian continued: “Also, if you live in a Leasehold property, you may need to seek the Freeholder’s permission before you start on any major improvements, such as knocking down an internal wall or changing windows or doors. Again, it’s best to check before you start to avoid a lengthy and expensive legal issue.”

So, before you pick up the hammer and drill this weekend, the message is clear; do your homework in advance if you’re planning a major project, and check to make sure you’re covered in case the worst happens.

If all else fails, there’s always the charred sausages to look forward to…